Manchester United defend transfer strategy to fans

Manchester United have written to fans to defend their activities in the recent transfer window and insisting they were not prepared to be drawn into an "eight-week panic".

The Mirror reports that the club has responded to letters and emails from fans critical of the way the club and David Moyes failed to land more big-name signings.

The letter, signed on behalf of director of communications Phil Townsend, said the club has a clear strategy and that it had achieved its two primary objectives - keeping Wayne Rooney and adding a central midfielder to the squad.

"Add to that the fact that Wilfried Zaha is a new signing and that the manager has added the highly-rated young player Adnan Janazaj to the squad and the team does in fact have a different feel to it than the one that finished last season.

"The club has invested over £40m acquiring new players this summer, as well as re-signing Nani on a long-term deal, more than it has traditionally spent on transfers.

"Additional resources were there to add to that but it was not possible to agree with other clubs for the right players to leave. The key point there is that the players we buy have to be the right ones for Manchester United; not just any player.

"The club has always backed the manager in the transfer market … and demonstrated its belief in, and commitment to, David Moyes through the award of a six year contract. Allowing him to shape the future Manchester United team is a long term project not an eight-week panic. He must be given time to assess his new squad and come to his own decisions on which players he feels will strengthen it."